41: 50 Days of 3:16

 

This week I was once again bombarded like many of you with pride images and posts. One headline I read stated something in the lines of ‘The reason we still need pride parades is because people keep asking why we need pride parades’. We are bringing our children up in a world where they will have a hard time understanding what it means to be men and woman. But despite this God is still in control and Jesus is still working to bring mankind into a relationship with him. He can still transform lives no matter what they have done to pervert it.

 

I feel that John 3:16 fits so perfectly before today’s verse and 1 John 3:16 right after;

For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith:

Christ was revealed in a human body
and vindicated by the Spirit.
He was seen by angels
and announced to the nations.
He was believed in throughout the world
and taken to heaven in glory.

1 Timothy 3:16

 We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.

1 John 3:16

 

Sin has had free reign in our world ever since the dawn of man. Adam and Eve only had one limitation in the garden, one rule to follow, yet human curiosity and the need to think only of ourselves lead to the breaking of that one command. Talk about a butterfly effect that changed the course of history. God at that moment could have wiped mankind from the earth and started over with some other form, he could have destroyed everything and just moved on. Yet God had made us in his image and was not done with us. God wanted to have a relationship with us, not that he needed us for anything. He is God, self-sufficient all powerful, needing nothing. For some reason, we can never fully understand He wants us to have a relationship with him.

 

We as humans have this desire for a relationship as well. We want people to love us to want us. The enemy knows this and has perfected a way to cause us much grief when it comes to relationships. What God has made for good, the enemy perverts and works hard to confuse and manipulate. God created man and woman to be in a relationship, so they could reproduce and fill the earth, love one another and glorify him in this. Yet the enemy has convinced many that they can be fulfilled by being in an unnatural relationship. People can decide to up and change who God made them to be based on feelings which change like the wind. Parents now have the power to set their children on a path of confusion by not officially calling a boy a boy or girl a girl from birth. Our laws do not allow a child under 16 to drive, under 21 to drink, under 18 to vote, under 12 to look after themselves yet we expect them to be able to choose if they are a boy or girl.

 

Believers we need to wake up, this world needs Jesus now more than ever. God sent His Son into this world to free people from the perversion sin causes. We can no longer sit back and let sin steamroll over society. I am not condoning bashing or hatred but invoking love, we need to work at loving people who need to meet Jesus. We cannot be afraid to call sin a sin. Jesus called a spade a spade and still loved people. He knew what they needed was a relationship with him. They keep filling their lives with other things when they are longing for a relationship with God. It is not going to be easy, they will resist because they are so entrenched in the life they are living, they will find it hard to let go. But they need to let go and let God transform them into the men and woman they are called to be. The church we need to pray, we need to love, we need to go into the world and be active.

 

Father, this is a hard message for me to write today. I expect some feedback, I pray that you give me the wisdom to say the right things in love. I pray that anyone brave or bold enough to share this post will have opportunities to share your love with others. Bless those who are seeking you and looking to love those entrenched in sin no matter what the cost. We need to be your light to this world, sharing your love with everyone. Use me and anyone reading this to change the world. Amen.

 

God loves you. God wants you. God created you with a purpose. God wants a relationship with you. What is holding you back? God isn’t waiting for you to clean up your life before accepting you. He accepts you as you are, he loves you as you are. Jesus died so that you can live in a relationship with God. I would love to chat and help you make a fresh beginning.

7: 50 Days Freed

Life outside the relationship of God may seem to be all fine and normal but those who are outside his grace are living for nothing. Those who are living for nothing can and will be caught up by anything that sounds like it gives hope and freedom. But anything other then a relationship with Jesus is false hope. In reality, it can actually add more chains to their bondage and solidify the hold the enemy has on them. There is a reason we must be bold and willing to share our faith with others because they are unaware of their condition, they have either convinced themselves or have been convinced that everything is okay.

 

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Ephesians 2: 1-2

 

The choice that every man has to make is not easily swallowed. Many will argue that it isn’t fair that once choice determines where we spend eternity. Some hold off and make the claim I will wait for another day to make my choice, let me live my life now. Unfortunately, any choice even a delay is a choice not to accept the gift God has given to us; grace in Jesus. Some will say well if they never heard about Jesus how can they be accountable, I ask you this if you don’t take the time to tell them who then is responsible? We have been called to reach all nations with the Good news about Jesus. If every follower of Jesus took the time each day to share the love of Jesus with one person imagine the impact it would have on this world.

 

There are those who have given in to the darkness, either by choice or by their actions. This is a scary thought that someone would choose this, but it happens. The spirit guide, the fortune tellers, those running seances and others dabble in the occult opening their hearts and souls up to be playgrounds for the enemy. Other through acts that alter their minds, with drugs illegal or not, alcohol, entertainments and all sorts of perversions. We don’t know for sure but one might assume that those people we see on the news who choose to do some heinous crimes against women, children and even genocides may be filled with the enemy. Demonic possession and infilling are biblical and still relevant today. The enemy is covert in his operation as not to make a scene but he is using people to do some pretty sick things. I say this not to scare you but remind you that Jesus died for them to, there is freedom for those who the enemy feels he has a solid grip on.

 

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) Ephesians 2: 4-5

 

All mankind is called to be in a relationship with God. It is ingrained in our very being. We work to fill this void with many things and none will truly satisfy expect him. That is why many are easily susceptible to the enemy because they accept anything in hopes of finding something. It is also why Jesus made it clear that if we free someone from being possessed that we need to show them Jesus love to fill up the hole left behind lest the demon return with his buddies find the hole open and jump back in making things much worse. You might be reading this and are like ‘I could never tell a demon to leave a man, that is so weird, or I don’t have that power’. But you do. If Christ lives in you then you have the authority he has given you. He told his disciples that with the Holy Spirit they could do the same things he did and more, they had to trust him. The disciples did cast out demons and we can too. Please don’t take this and run around town looking for people to exorcise. Not my intent for you. But be prepared that if it ever happens you are confident that Jesus has given you an authority in his name to do what must be done.

 

Freedom, you have it lets start sharing it. Like I said earlier if ever believer told one person a day the world would be changed. Will you accept the mission you are called to, reaching the lost at all cost? To sit idly by and expect some else to do the work doesn’t cut it anymore. We need all hands on deck, everyone who calls God their Father stepping up, young and old as there is not retirement in Christ. We who are free need to share the freedom with other.

 

Father, empower us to reach the lost. Prepare us for the unexpected and show us your glory. Let us not be overwhelmed by sin and despair, but encouraged that those we talk to really do desire a relationship with the creator. Motivate your people to stop helping the enemy by being lazy and start scaring him with our evangelism. When the people of God stand up and start working on the mission he will tremble and go into defensive mode. It is time for the children of God to go on the offensive and spread the kingdom to all nations, including our friends, family and coworkers. Use us to show freedom to others. Amen

 

Day 25: 50 Days of Passion

There is a thought pattern in this world that God is all knowing and all powerful why would he want to take time for me. Or that God is up in heaven controlling us like puppets getting his excitement from the things we go through. That he doesn’t care a lick about what is really happening in our lives, like the gods of old who were in their realms throwing extravagant parties and fighting their wars at our expense.

This is a lie of the enemy who wants us to avoid at all costs a true relationship with God the creator. He wants and has blinded the eyes of the unbeliever from the experience of knowing God intimately. But that’s not the God we read about in the bible. The God of the bible from the moment He created mankind he wanted to have a relationship with them. He doesn’t physically walk with us in the garden like he did with Adam and Eve, but he wants to walk with us through our prayers, reading the bible and obedience.

 

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT

 

Trust God seems like such an easy concept. But if you’re like me trusting God is a conscientious battle in doing it myself. When I try to do things, myself it is like I am watching a trailer. I think I know what is going on, but I don’t know it all. God on the other hand already has seen the whole movie. He knows that it will all work out and how. But in my assumptions, resistance and doubt I forget to trust him. This puts me in dangerous waters as I stray away from where I need to be, which is in the will of God.

 

It’s really hard to trust God when you’re at a dead end. It seems like there is no path to take, or the paths you can take seem wrong. Trusting God in these moments can be nerve racking. I feel I am in such a place. But I keep praying that God will show me the path to take.

It is even harder to trust God when the lies you have been told about Him keep coming to the forefront of your mind.

 

If you are feeling low and discouraged, I pray today that you will put your trust back in the one who has seen your life movie and won’t send you down a wrong path if you trust him. If today you have never experienced the relationship you can have with the Creator it is not to late. God sent His Son Jesus into the world to die and rise again so that we can have the relationship He always wanted.

 

Dear Jesus, I trust you are watching and working in my life. I lay my life at your feet, surrendering my all to you. Show me the path I am to take. Help me to take the path you provide. I accept that Jesus you died on the cross, rose again and that you sacrifice was for me, that by doing this I can surrender to you and have a relationship with God the Father. Amen

 

Day 14: 50 Days of Passion

I had a boss once who explained my experience as a military man like this. At the floor level we only see about 25% of the picture, we experience what is happening immediately around us but don’t have an understanding completely of why, yet we must complete the job. At the supervisor level we learn a bit more and might get us to 45% and then as a manager closer to 60%, as you continue up the levels to the top still no one knows 100% of the truth because the truth of any story has three sides, theirs, yours and what actually happened.

 

“All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.”

1 Corinthians 13:12b NLT

 

 

I say all this because we don’t know the whole plan of God for our lives, we don’t know what he has in store for us, nor do we know why certain events or situations occur. God points us, with prompting from the Holy Spirit, in a direction he wants us to go and we as faithful workers should go. Yet many times we expect a full plan laid before us before we make the first step. This is never going to happen. If God gives you a direction take the step of faith and move towards it. One day when you meet face to face he will open your eyes to your life, let you see the whole plan as it unfolded what a highlight reel that will be.

 

Our passion is linked to our faith to step into the plan that God has for us. No matter what % of the plan you understand, if you prompted and confirmed that this is where God is sending you then you should take on that plan. It takes a lot of faith to submit to God’s plans. He tends to put people in areas they are not comfortable with, this is to help you grow as a person as well as spiritually. It is when we continually ignore the plans and callings that our passion or fire starts to fade. I don’t believe God calls us to just tread water and stay in one spot in our faith.

 

Do you want to look back and see that you avoided the plan your whole life? Or would you love to have the Father watch with you and see the proud look on his face when he says, ‘well done good and faithful servant’? Let focus our lives on following Gods plan for our lives and work to fulfill the mission we have been given.

 

 

 

Jesus, I want to walk your plan, even if I don’t know all the variables and details. Show me what I need to be doing to fulfill the mission. Give me the tools and resources required as I can’t do this on my own. Let me be an effective worker in sharing your love to those who need to know you. They matter to you so they matter to me. Amen

 

 

Day 48: 50 Days of Impact

“I love it when a plan comes together” is a well know A-Team quote. I imagine that this is something God might be thinking sometimes. Think of Joseph, Ester or even Jesus. Many factors try to subvert the plan of God, the enemy wants nothing more then for it to succeed. But the plans of God are here for good and those types of plans will always prevail. God isn’t surprised when things happen, I believe he has all variables thought out and has a firm grasp on what outcomes will happen.

 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

 

This passage was written when Israel was being held captive by Babylon and God promised to free the from their oppression. Their sin had placed them in captivity, their disobedience and idolatry. When reading the bible, you get the imagery of the Israelites trust God only for a season at a time as they needed Him, but when the threat was over they were like “we got this” and started to do things in their own strength again forgetting who brought them there.

 

It was never the ultimate plan for the Israelite’s to be taken, yet they chose to sin and ignore God’s laws he had given them. This cycle kept leading them into trouble.

 

We were held captive by our sin. God made a plan that was for good. Jesus was the answer to the captivity of sin. There is a future and hope for all those who choose Jesus and follow God’s plan of salvation. We like the Israelites get into cycles of telling God “we got this”. It is in those times that we get sent back into times of trouble.

 

God has so much more for you. If only we could listen to Him when He tells us I have so much more for you if you would trust me, in the good times and the bad. I want to use your passions and your abilities to reach the world with my love.

 

People need to hear of this plan. Have you told anyone about it? Have you invited anyone to church to hear about it? Let’s start today and change the world one person at a time. You can be an instrument of change. You can impact your world.

 

Jesus, your plan is a good one. Your path to walk is the right one. This cycle of trusting you and trusting myself needs to stop, I will trust you in all that I do. Help me to follow you with excitement to share this truth with others. Holy Spirit create in me a clean heart and pour into me daily so I can reach others. They matter to you and they matter to me. Amen

 

 

Day 31: 50 Days of Impact

One thing I have learned on my little time here on earth, it that people will easily lay blame instead of accepting what is happening to them. We get in a car accident and we are looking for who is to blame, hopefully we are checking to see that everyone is alright first.

Here on the cross we see Jesus, hanging, bleeding, thirsty, experiencing something that no man can endure. It was an execution. In this moment Jesus could have exploded in anger at God, asking him “Why me?  Why now?” I think that most of mankind in the same situation would ask those questions. Instead Jesus shouted, “I trust you”.

 

“Then Jesus shouted, ‘Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!’ And with those words he breathed his last.” (Luke 23:46 NLT).

 

Here we see Jesus trust God’s plan to the very end. His words are reminisces of Psalms of old coming to life. “Into your hands I commit my spirit: You have redeemed me O LORD God of truth.” (Ps. 31:5 NKJV) As the people around the cross hear this finally cry from Jesus as he breathed his last breath alone, a Roman centurion, which all the Gospels account for, realizes the truth of whom they just crucified. R. Alan Cole suggests “The Lord demanded little knowledge and much faith as initial steps, in those who came to Him – witness His dealings with the dying thief – so that the centurion may have well become a true believer ultimately.”

Our actions and our deeds are on display for those around us to witness. Jesus was a prime example of a man whose actions spoke louder than words. His actions of surrender and humility changed the centurion’s life that day. Our daily actions will define who we are in Christ and we must be willing to commit our lives to God.

Today are you able to trust God? If Jesus in his last breath and his last minutes continued to trust God, what is stopping you? In his last moments, he continued to make an impact. We make an impact in how we respond to our situations. People are watching you. Will your words and actions draw them to a loving God, or will it help solidify the wall they have put up between?

 

Father, to see the plan of salvation unfold in the bible is a feat of wonder. How you used your Son to save the world is unlike any other truth out there.  Thank you for the impact Jesus made on the cross. Thank you for the impact He is making daily in my life and the life of others. Show me how I can touch the hearts of those around me. I want to bring people to you and help them experience life in a relationship with you. They matter to you God, so they matter to me. Let me make an impact. Amen